Willy, who was tired out with the extreme mental and bodily exertion
that he had undergone, gave no answer to McElvina's injunction, except a
loud snore, which satisfied the captain that his caution in this
instance was not heard.
"Well," said Debriseau, after a short pause, "how long did this honest
fit last?"
"What do you mean?--how long did it last? Why, it has lasted,--Captain
Debriseau,--it has lasted until now; and shall last, too, as long as
this frame of mine shall hold together. But to proceed. The next
morning I called upon the old gentleman according to his request. He
again told me, `honesty was a scarce commodity.' I could have informed
him that it had always been so with me, but I kept my own counsel. He
then asked me what were my profession and pursuits? Now, as I had two
professions to choose between, and as my last was considered to be just
as abundant in the commodity he prized so much, as my former one was
known to be deficient, I replied that I was a seafaring man. `Then I
may find some employment for you,' replied the old gentleman; and having
put several questions to me as to the nature of the service I had seen,
he desired me to take a walk till three o'clock, when he would be happy
to see me at dinner:--`We'll then be able to have a little conversation
together, without being over-heard.'
"I was exact to my appointment, and my old friend, who was punctuality
itself, did not allow me to remain in the parlour two minutes before
dinner was on the table. As soon as it was over, he dismissed the
servant girl who attended, and turned the key in the door. After
sounding me on many points, during a rapid discussion of the first
bottle of port, he proceeded to inform me, that a friend of his wanted a
smart fellow as captain of a vessel, if I would like the employment.
This suited me; and he then observed that I must have some notion of how
officers were managed, as I had been in the China trade, and that he
_thought_ that the vessel was to be employed in the contraband trade on
the English coast.
"This startled me a little, for I was afraid that the old gentleman was
laying a trap for my newly-acquired commodity; and I was about to refuse
with some slight show of indignation, when I perceived a change in his
countenance, indicative of disappointment--so I only demurred until he
had sufficient time to prove that there was no dishonesty in the
transaction, when, being convinced that he was in earnest, I consented.
Before the second bottle was finished, I found out that it was not for a
_friend_, but for himself, and for one of his own vessels, that he was
anxious to procure a smart captain; and that he had a large capital
embarked in the concern, which was very profitable. The pocket-book
which I had returned was of no little importance: had it fallen into
other hands, it might have told tales.
"I have now been three years in the old gentleman's employ, and a
generous good master he has been: and his daughter is a sweet pretty
girl. I lost my last vessel, but not until she had cleared him 10,000
pounds; and now the old gentleman is building me another at Havre. Not
to be quite idle, I have in the meantime taken command of one of their
sloops: for the old gentleman has a good many shares in the
_speculation_, and his recommendations are always attended to.
"_Voici, Monsieur Beaujou, avec les habits_," said the maitre d'auberge
opening the door and ushering in the marchand des modes _maritimes_,
with a huge bundle.
"Now, then, boy, rouse out," said McElvina, shaking our hero for a long
while, without any symptoms of recovering him from his lethargy.
"Try him on the other tack," said the captain, lifting him off the sofa,
and placing him upright on his legs.
"There's no sugar in it yet," said Willy, who was dreaming that he was
supplying the mulled claret to the old master's mate.
"Ah," said Debriseau, laughing, "he thinks his mamma is giving him his
tea."
"The lying little rascal told me this morning that he had no mother.
Come, Mr William Seymour, I _believe_" (mimicking)--"officer, I
_believe_--Oh, you're a nice honest boy. Have you a mother, or do you
tell fibs in your sleep as well as awake? `Be honest.'"
The last words that Willy had heard repeated so often during the day not
only unsealed his eyes, but recalled to his recollection where he was.
"Now, my youngster, let us rig you out; you recollect you stated that
you were going home for your outfit, and now I'll give you one, that you
may have one fib less on your conscience."
By the generosity of McElvina, Willy was soon fitted with two suits of
clothes, requiring little alteration, and Mr Beaujou, having received a
further order for a supply of shirts, and other articles necessary to
complete, made his bow and disappeared.
The two captains resumed their chairs, and our hero again coiled himself
on the sofa, and in one minute was as sound asleep as before.
"And now, McElvina," resumed Debriseau, "I should like to know by what
arguments your employer contrived to reconcile your present vocation
with your punctilious regard for honesty? For I must confess, for my
own part, that although I have followed smuggling as a livelihood, I
have never defended it as an honest calling, and have looked forward
with occasional impatience to the time when I should be able to leave it
off."
"Defend it! Why I'll just repeat to you the arguments used by the old
gentleman. They convinced me. As I said before, I am always open to
conviction. Captain Debriseau, you will acknowledge, I trust, that laws
are made for the benefit of all parties, high and low, rich and poor?"
"Granted."
"You'll allow also, that law-makers should not be lawbreakers; and that
if they are so, they cannot expect that others will regard what they
disregard themselves."
"Granted also."
"Once more--by the laws of our country, the receiver is as bad as the
thief, and they who instigate others to commit an offence are equally
guilty with the offending party."
"It cannot be denied," replied Debriseau.
"Then you have acceded to all the propositions that I wish, and we shall
come to an undeniable and mathematical conclusion. Observe, law-makers
should not be law-breakers. Who enacted these laws?--the aristocracy of
the nation, seated in their respective houses, the Lords and the
Commons. Go, any night you please, to the Opera, or any other place of
public resort, in which you can have a view of their wives and daughter.
I'll stake my existence that every female there shall be disened out in
some contraband article of dress--not one but shall prove to be a
receiver of smuggled goods, and, therefore, as bad as those whom they
have instigated to _infringe_ the laws of their country. If there were
no demand there would be no supply."
"Surely they don't _all_ drink gin?" replied Debriseau.
"Drink gin! You're thinking of your damned Cherbourg trade,--your ideas
are confined. Is there nothing smuggled besides gin? Now, if the
husbands and fathers of these ladies,--those who have themselves enacted
the laws,--wink at their _infringement_, why should not others do so?
The only distinction between the equally offending parties is, that
those who are in power,--who possess all the comforts and luxuries which
this world can afford,--who offend the laws from vanity and caprice, and
entice the needy to administer to their love of display, are protected
and unpunished; while the adventurous seaman, whose means of supporting
his family depend upon his administering to their wishes, or the poor
devil who is unfortunately detected with a gallon of spirits, is thrown
into gaol as if he were a _felon_. There cannot be one law for the rich
and another for the poor, Debriseau. When I hear that the wives of the
aristocracy have been seized by the revenue officers, and the contraband
articles which they wear have been taken off their backs, and that they
have been sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, by a committal from
the magistrate, then--and not till then--will I acknowledge our
profession to be _dishonest_."
"Very true," said Debriseau; "it shows the folly of men attempting to
make laws for their _masters_."
"Is it not shocking," continued McElvina, "to reflect upon the conduct
of the magistrate, who has just sentenced perhaps four or five unhappy
wretches to a dungeon for an offence against these laws? He leaves the
seat of Justice, and returns to the bosom of his family. Here his
wife," (mimicking)--"`Well, my dear, you're come at last--dinner has
been put back this half-hour. I thought you would never have finished
with those odious smugglers.' `Why, my love, it was a very difficult
case to prove; but we managed it at last, and I have signed the warrant
for their committal to the county gaol. They're sad, troublesome
fellows, these smugglers.'--Now look at the lady: `What dress is that
you put on to greet your husband?' `Gros de Naples de Lyon.'--`The lace
it is trimmed with?' `Valenciennes,'--`Your gloves, madam?' `Fabrique
de Paris.'--`Your ribands, your shoes, your handkerchief?' All, all
contraband.--Worthy magistrate, if you would hold the scales of Justice
with an even hand, make out _one more_ mittimus before you sit down to
table. Send your wife to languish a twelvemonth in company with the
poor smugglers, and then `to dinner with what appetite you may.' And
now, Debriseau, have I convinced you that I may follow my present
calling, and still say--`_be honest_?'"
"Why, yes, I think we both may; but would not this evil be removed by
free trade?"
"Heaven forbid!" replied McElvina, laughing; "then there would be no
_smuggling_."